Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Oilville VA

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Oilville 23129

Oilville VA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Oilville VA is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Oilville VA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Oilville VA private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Oilville VA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Oilville VA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Oilville VA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Oilville VA Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Oilville VA residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Oilville VA area and throughout Virginia, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you choose the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Oilville VA physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Virginia Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Oilville VA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Virginia or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have relationships with Oilville VA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional connections in the Oilville health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Oilville VA residence. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and find out what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Oilville VA area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Oilville Virginia?

If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Oilville VA area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.

Oilville, Virginia

Oilville is an unincorporated community in Goochland County, Virginia, United States. Oilville is located on U.S. Route 250 22 miles (35 km) west-northwest of Richmond. Oilville has a post office with ZIP code 23129.[2]

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Oilville VA

Choosing the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Oilville VA.